Life afterwards
by vinniezgirl
Summary: Race and AnnaLisa get reunited after races wife leaves him. What problems will surface when anna sees jack? Read and review please! The story is better than it sounds.


A/N: hope you like this. I wanted to do a fic with the Newsies all grown up. Read and review please!!! Oh, and I don't own newsies I just own race's the new charectrers!

It was 1912 and many years had passed after the strike. An older Racetrack Higgins, now known as Anthony Higgins, was sitting on the curb with a candy cane in his mouth. This rare treat came to Anthony not by thievery but by his boss; Sikes. Yes you herd me, Sikes now owned "the world" because Pullitzer died. Now you're probably wondering why he works at the world… Well that's a different story back to the present.

Anthony sat on the curb with his son and daughter, Anna-Lisa and John. The two kids licked on their candy canes while Anthony left his cane in his mouth as if it was a cigar, which got John's attention, "Papa, why do ya eat your candy cane like a cigah?"

"John, stop talking like that, you don't have an accent. And I eat it like a cigar because it's a force of habit. Now C'mon lets go inside where its warm."

"Aww, Papa. Why do we always have to go inside."

"If you do I'll tell you a story."

With that the two kids raced up the stairs and jumped onto the couch, with Anthony close behind.

"So kids which one this time? Anna-Lisa you get to chose this time, will it be the one about Mr. Jenkin's candy shop, or-"

"No Papa, The stwike!"

"Anna-Lisa your mother would kill me if I told you."

The young girl looked up with big brown eyes and said, "You got one hour, so spill."

"Fine, in 1899 the streets of new York echoed with the voices of newsies…"

The story went on for another hour until Mary came home, by then John and Anna-Lisa were dreaming sweet dreams of Jack Kelly, kid Blink, mush, david, les, sarah, and all of the others involved with the strike. Anthony rushed to the door to greet his wife, "Heya Mary, how was work?"

"fine, just, fine. So Tony, are the kids asleep."

"Dreamin' away, nothing 'special' tonight I think I'm gonna crash."

And crash he did, by the time Mary got her shoes off he was deep asleep, fully clothed, on the bed. Mary just smiled and shook her head saying, "Tony, you're just like a child. That's why I love you." But later that night, when Anthony would wake up from a nightmare, she would not be by his side, but in another man's arms.

The nightmare

Racetrack was walking when he saw a girl screaming, he would run to save her but he would not go anywhere. Holding the girl back, he saw, were Jack Kelly and Mary Boetton(Now known as Mary Higgins)

Back to reality

Anthony woke yelling, he rolled over and started saying, "Mary you wouldn't belive the nightmare I just had…" No response. "Are you awake?" Silence. "Mar- what?" Anthony sat up and lit the lantern. Where Mary would've laid was a note. Race had had 1 other note left from a girl and he knew that nothing good ever came from the notes, this on the other hand was in a different category…

The note

_Dear tony,_

_I'm so sorry, but I must leave you. I've left you the kids,, take care of them, and the money is still where it was last. I've fallen for another man so I've faked my death to help you avoid any embarrassment please forgive me. I must do this._

_Love, _

_Mary Boetton._

His reaction

"No this can't be happening, I-its not possible. I-I need to leave town meet up with the guys… I'll take the kids they can meet the infamous David, and everyone else for that matter. I just need to forget."

He packed all of his belongings in a bag then woke the children telling them to do the same, "What about mama?"

"Its alright, anna, mama went on a business trip… so we can go on vacation. Say, do you want to meet the boys in the strike?"

"Awight, I'm packed up… lets go."

"Wait one second…" Anthony dug in the closet and pulled out: a black caddy hat, a pin-striped vest, a white shirt, and some solid black pants, "Now dress up in that anna and put your hair up in your cap."

"But I'll look like a boy, I don't think mama would like me dwessin like that."

"I don't see her here, Now lets go."

Anthony, Josh, and Anna walked briskly through the cold night air until they reached the lodging house. Anna knew who belonged in lodging houses so she got terribly scared,

"Papa, youw not gonna leave us heah awe ya?"

"No we're visiting some friends, I used to live here ya know?"

They walked into the room and Anthony was expecting to see kloppman sitting in the front and saying 'The rents due Racetrack, pay up or be gone.' But Someone younger was sitting there, it was Skittery.

"Heya skits! Didn't expect to see you here, what happened to the rest of the guys?"

"Race??? I can't believe it. Lemme think… the guys split up after you left you were our last resort. I think Mush went into the business, blink works in a factory in Brooklyn, spot's in the irish mafia… I think he's still alive, davey owns a bank, Crutchy has lost use of both his legs… I think he's in a home somewhere in Staten Island, and that's all I know."

Anna stepped forward and said, "Awe we gonna meet da west, papa?"

"Yes, be patient anna. So skits, you seen al lately?"

"Race, you know she left after what jack did to her. So are you going to introduce me to these kids?"

"Oh yeah, this is anna-lisa and josh. Anna, josh, this is skits. He was in the strike."

The two kids were too exited to talk so Skittery set up a bunk for the twins to share so they could sleep and he and race could talk.

their chat

"So Race, what are ya doin' here, exactly?"

"The wife left me for another, the kids don't know, and I need to see some friends. I don't get out much lately."

"I can tell."

"You said mush got into the business… by that do you mean he's doin' da unimaginable'?"

"Sadly, yes."

"Boys or girls?"

"Both… desperate times call for desperate measures, unfortunately… he liked it."

"Deah me, how'd Spot turn thug?"

"You should ask him yourself, he's standing right behind you."

Over the next few hours the boys scheduled a meeting at medda's 'like old times.'

Trouble after the strike

Now here's when you meet me, yes I'm the infamous 'al' they've been talking about al stands for Anna-lisa, does the name ring a bell?? So anyways all was good until spot just decided to get jack drunk, lets go to brooklyn now shall we???

The chilly November wind brought trouble from the east. Inside the lodging house many brooklynites and manhattaners were drunk gambling all their money away, Jack was among them. He lost all his money so he had to make his way back to Manhattan, alone, and drunk. Not to put a bad mark on his name but he's not the same person when he's drunk. So when he got 2 blocks near the lodging house I saw him and yelled, "Heya Jack! Hows spot??"

"Hi baby give me a kiss."

"Jack, stop it, its not funny. RACE HELP!!!!!!"

Race bolted around the corner to save me from an unstable jack, "Hey! Get your doity hands offa 'er!!"

"Buz off, shortie."

Race pulled his fists tight and attempted to punch Jack but he ducked and drove his fist straight into Race's jaw sending him flying onto the ground unconscious. Jack turned to me and tried to kiss me so I pushed him away and he knocked me onto the ground. I woke early in the morning lying next to Race who now was asleep, I grabbed a paper and wrote him a note that read: sorry for the fite. I love you but I can't stik around after what jack pulled last nite that happens too often.

Love,

Anna-Lisa Granary

I left crying… Race woke with my note in his hand once he read it he ran all across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens searching for me. Once he ran back to the lodging house he packed his bags and somehow showed up on Sikes' doorstep and that's how he worked his way up to the headline writer and part-time reporter for 'the world'. Mush turned down a dark road after he struggled to support his little brother, rocks, selling papes. Spot was recruited into the irish-mob not by will… but by force. It turns out his uncle was "Danny Boy" McClure, the infamous mod boss, poor Spot would've stayed a newsie… if his life wasn't threatened, and his girl's life as well. By girl I do not mean girlfriend… I mean daughter, I'm sure Spot settled down a little bit after a 1month baby showed up on his doorstep. Now that's all I'm going to tell you, the rest will come later, now back to the story.

"Poor race," Delilah exclaimed, you see she hates me for breaking his heart. Although she should love me because if I hadn't she never would've had a chance, "why, I hate that Anna-Lisa Granary. She has no right to break your heart, no one does."

Poor girls when shall you realize that he still loves me… "Delilah, stop… it's not her fault. Y'know what how'd you like if we could go ta da…. Umm…"

"Vaudeville theatre… yeah."

"Sure, I'll pick ya up at 8 tanight."

"Okay…"

Race sauntered off triumphantly but he stopped about 6 feet from the closed door and stared into the shadows, "Anna, I know you'se out dere." _Drats, he saw me… but how?_

"Fine ya caught me Whaddaya want?"

"I want you."

"What about her, you two seemed pretty cozy."

"Ann… why'd you leave?"

"You know… ask jack. G'bye."

I walked off, it seems cold hearted but Race knew exactly where I was staying. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, and months turned to years, until I learned that Race went off the map. So here's the present I just learned Race is back and I'm walking down the street to the Skitts lodgin' house, Its 30 minutes before Skittery woke everyone up. I entered the building through the back door with a key that kloppman had given me a few years ago, the house was silent exept for a few snickers coming from the front room. _Obviously that's Race, and Spot. Oh how I've missed race…_ I decided to sneak up on him so I ever so silently walked up behind him singing into his ear, "Lida Rose I'm home again Rose to get the sun back in the sky." He stood up and began singing,

"Lida Rose I'm home again Rose about a thousand kisses shy… Anna… I… I…"

"Shh… enough chit chat, we'se got some catchin' up ta do…"

"Are you still a newsie?"

"On and off, the world's got good headlines lately. What've you been doing, Race, or what should I call you… now that you're grown up."

I said that because he really HAD grown up, he the beginnings of a beard, his hair was fully greased back, he'd grown about 6 inches, and he wore tailor-made suits. It took Race a few seconds to decide his answer,

"Race is fine but you can call me Tony, so you like the headlines?"

"Race, are you the writer?"

"You could say that."

"Ohh I'm so happy for you…"

We embraced then a tired little girl woke along with the other newsies she walked up to Race and said, "Daddy, who's she." _Is that his kid, is he married? Dear me what have we here?_

"Hey Anna-Lisa, this is… Anna Lisa you were named after her."

"Race, are you married?"

"I was…"

"What do you mean 'I was', papa???"

"Your Madre' left… sorry."

I picked up quickly so I crouched down so I could look the girl in the eyes and said,

"How'd you like to go to the candy shop?"

"Papa?"

"Have fun, thanks Al…"

I took the girl out to the candy shop and the girl told me all of Race's over-embellished stories, we bought pounds of candy, and came back. When I got back it seemed that aal of the old gang was there, even Kloppman, the only people missing were the girls and I knew where to get them. I spent half of the day running around New York with Race, like old times, we managed to locate a few of the girls but the others didn't show. Oh well, I re-bonded with Race, and then we met the others at Medda's place. As we entered the doorway I saw him, Jack Kelly, I immediately turned away but Race stopped me and hugged me. _Wow, wait I'm supposed to be mad… MAD, why does Jack have to be here? WHY?!?_ I entered clinging to Race hoping jack wouldn't notice me, after all I HAVE changed, my… well I've grown a couple of inches, and my hair is longer… Ok well I haven't changed… at all.

Race's POV

_Woah, I haven't felt anyone hold me like this in years, She must be really scared of 'im in ordah ta let it show… yikes. _We walked into and, unfortunately, Jack noticed us right away, _no no no… I'l jest punch 'im, nah me kids are heah, what should I do?_ Jack walked right up to us and by each step her grip on me got tighter, when he reached us I froze but AL said somting I'll never forget…

AL's POV

"Heya Race, Al, I haven't seen you'se since we'se still newsies. Where'd ya go Al?"

"Jack Kelly, or Francis Sullivan, or whatever your name is now, I left so I would never had to face you again. But luck is only temporary these days, I can't believe you came here."

"Anna, that was so long ago, I was drunk."

"Everyone's drunk jack, that gives you no reason to-"

"Accidents happen… Anna-"

"Too often, Kelly, ya… ya… Oh frick it!"

I reached out and punched him, so he reacted, but mobby just HAD to interrupt our little, 'chat'.

"**Che' Gotz e' fa? **what the ---- is happening."

He broke us up and I stormed out of the building, Race followed me after giving blink orders to watch his children.

"Anna Lisa, wait!!!"

"What race?!?"

"I-I-I'm sorry, I coulda done sumptin' I'm sorry, sorry."

"Ferget it, Y'know what I need? I need a good game a gamblin'."

"They 'ave gamblin' at da party."

"REAL Gamblin' and I know just where to go."

I started off toward a dark alley, actually Bottle Alley, (I don't know why Mush says it's a good sellin' spot, good fer gambling but not sellin') There was an illegal poker and craps night, and I was going to it. All went well until Race got into a fight causing the bulls to come. We were walking home after hours of hiding in the bushes when Race suddenly asked me,

"Why'd you leave me AL?"

"I-I had to Race I'll explain later… I'm sorry Race… I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Anna."

Race grabbed my hand sending chills up my spine and we walked hand in hand to the lodging house. Its good to be back again.

A/N: Do you like it?? Woah! I just noticed how much I wrote today! Yikes! Well review please. Oh and I'm sorry I made jack a bad guy… he was just on my mind at the time.


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